Weather strip



April 15, 1952 G. G. HUNTER 2,593,305

WEATHER STRIP Filed Feb. 14, 194s Lul f M ll 'Il ln f IH ul r|| Ul 5 l 'llf U13; IH lll ,nl /ul M,

2e HG2 i22 3 INVENTOR. GERALD G. HUNTER MMM/Mp ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 15, 1952 Gerald G. Hunter, Pdiitiae, Mich., assignor to Baldwin Rubber Corn-pany, Pontiac, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan Application February i4, 1949, serial No. 76,238

This invention relates generally to weather sealing strips for closures, and refers more particularly to improvements in weather strips for vehicle body closures or doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a strip which notlonly effectively weather Seals the clearance space between a door or closure and the adjacent jamb structure in the closed position of the door, but in addition. serves as a gutter or trough for conducting water away from the door or closure opening.

Another object of this invention is to provide a weather seal in the form of an elongated strip of resilient material having a base section at one edge and having lips diverging outwardly fromA` the base. The lips notlonly cooperate to form the desired trough or gutter, but also respectively extend beyond opposite sides of the base in positions to respectively engage a marginal part of the door and an adjacent face of the jamb in the closed position of the door.

Still another object of this invention is to pro- 5 Claims. (Cl. 296-44) A further object of this invention is tostrengthen the strip in the region of the attaching clips by a metal reinforcement comprising flexible strands of wire embedded in the base and extending vfor substantially the full length of the strip.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a weather sealing strip of the above general type wherein the width of one of the lips is less than the width of the other, and acts as a reinforcing rib to retain the trough or gutter formation in instances where the strip is bent around the corners or compound curves of the door or other part.

The foregoing as well as other objects will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein: l

Figure 1 is a sectional view oi' a part of a vehicle body construction and showing a weather sealing strip embodying the features of this lnvention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the Weather sealing strip shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

'Ihe weather sealing strip forming the subject matter of this invention may be used in connection with practically any type of closure, and is particularly advantageous when employed in association with closures subjected to the weather. One `application wherein the weather strip operates highly satisfactorily is in connection with vehicle bodies to weather seal the clearance space usually provided between the door of the body and the surrounding frame structure.

With the above in View, reference is made to Figure l of the drawing, wherein the numeral I0 indicates a part of a vehicle body structure having a transversely extending section II shaped to form a door opening. The opening is normally closed by a door I2 having a frame I3 extending around the perimeter thereof and hinged at one side in a manner not shown herein to the adjacent side of the body section I I. The door frame I3 has a transverse portion I4 arranged to lie adjacent the transverse section lI in the closed position of the door, and also has an outwardly extending auge I5 adapted to overlie a flange I6 extending outwardly from the body sectionl I. In accordance with conventional practice.` .the jamb flange I6 is spaced laterally inwardly from the overlapping door flange I5 when the door is in its closed position, and the space between the flanges is concealed by an overhanging flange I1, which extends laterally outwardly from the outer edge of the jamb flange I6.

'I'he space between the flanges l5 and I6 as well as the clearance between the transverse portions II and I4 is sealed by a weather strip I8, which also acts as a buer for the door. The weather strip I8 is formed of a resilient material preferably rubber, synthetic rubber or some equivalent material capable of being vulcanized and extruded. In addition, the shape ofthe weather strip is preferably such as to enable the same to be extruded in substantially continuous lengths, although other modes of manufacture may be used.

In any case the weather strip comprises a base I9 preferably substantially rectangular in cross section and having a iiat inner surface 20 which provides a generous area of contact with a supporting part. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawing the outer face of the base I9 has a rib-like of the lips cooperate to form a trough or gutter In use the weather strip I8 is interposed be- `tween the overlapping door flange I5 and the jamb flange I6 with the inner surface 2B of t-he base I9 seated on the transverse door frame portion I4. the strip I8 is positioned with the lip 23 adjacent the door flange I5, and with the lip 2d adjacent the jamb flange It. The distance between the free edge portions of the lips is substantially greater than the distance between the door ilange I5 and jarnb flange I5 in the closed position of the door so that the lip portions are moved toward one another when the door is closed. Thus the free edge of the lip 23 yieldably eugages the door flange l5, and the free edge of the Vlip 24 yieldingly engages the jarnb ilange i6.

It will also be noted from Figure l of the drawing that the width of the lip E3, measured from its base to its tip, is substantially lessfthan the width of the lip 26. As a result ol' this construction the lip 23 actually serves as a reinforcement, and renders it possible to retain the trough or gutter formation when the strip is deformed to extend varound a corner of the door, for example.

In accordance with the present invention the strip I8 is detachably secured to the door by snap y I fasteners. 25 are vulcanized, bonded or otherwise .permaformed in the portion ill of the door frame, and are frictionally held in place by spring lingers 25.

The spring fingers 29 project outwardly from opposite sides of the head 2B, and the outer ends 35 are bent laterally inwardly to provide shoulders for retaining the hea-ds 28 in assembled relation with the door fra-me. As shown particularly in Figure 4 of the drawing, the fingers 29 flare laterally outwardly from opposite sides of the head and have a cam engagement with the edges of the part I4 surrounding the openings 3l. Thus the ngers 2g are flexed laterally inwardly as the heads are passed through the openings 3l, and

return to their outermost :positions when,A the heads 28 are fully inserted through the openings 3l. This laterally outward return movement of the fingers 29 positions the laterally inwardly extending portions 3Q of the lingers at the inner sides ofthe part I4 and prevents accidental removal of the weather sealing strip lil. Y

In some instances it may be advantageous to reinforce the weather strip I8 in the region of the fastener clips 26. For accomplishing this result a reinforcement 32 is provided comprising a plurality of lengths of flexible wire 33 extending for substantially the full length of the base I9 and embedded within the latter. As shown in Figures As shown in Figure l ci the drawingf Each clip 26 comprises 4 3 and 4 of the drawing, the lengths of Wire 33 are arranged in superposed rows which extend transversely of the base I9, and provide a reinforcement 32 of substantial width. Thus the base I9 is materially strengthened throughout the length of the strip, and retains its intended shape over longY periods of use. It will, of course, be

vunderstood that other forms offlexible reinforcements may-be used, such for example, as fabric tapes.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a vehicle door Vhinged at one side edgeV to a frame having a 4transverse portion defining an opening for the door and having a jarnb portion extending from the transverse portion for engagement by an overlapping ange on the door, of a weather seal extending along the top and at least one adjacent side of the door between the overlapping flange on the door and jamb portion on the frame, said weather seal comprising an elongated resilient strip having a base seated on-.the 'outer l'edge of the door at the laterally inner side of the overlapping flange, lips diverging from the base in an outward direction with respect to the door to provide a gutter and having the free edges respectively extending laterally outwardly beyond opposite sides of the base to respectively yieldingly engage the overlapping iange on the door and the jarnb portionon the frame in the closed position of the door and being free from connection to either the flange or frame, one of the lips has a width less than the width of the other'- lip and serves asa reinforcement to minimizespreading of the lips by the stresses resulting from bendingv the strip around a corner of the door, and means for securing the base of the strip to the transverse portion of the door.

2. A 'weather 'sealing member comprising an elongated strip of Vresilient material having a Vbase section at one edge, lips diverging in an outward direction from' the base and respectively extending laterally 'beyond opposite sides of the base, said lips cooperating to form a Vfshaped trough therebetween and one of the lips Vhaving va width substantially less than the width of the 1other lip and reinforces the latter to minimize spreading of the lips by the stresses resulting frombending the strip transversely of its length in a direction opposite the direction in which the lips extend, and a flexible reinforcement embedded in said base and extending for substantially the full length of the strip.

3. A weather sealing member comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having a base sectionat one edge, and lips diverging in an outward direction from one side of the base and respectively extending laterally beyond opposite sides of the base to form a trough, Ysaid lips cooperating to Aprovide a vf-shaped trough therebetween and one of the lips having a width less than 'the width of the other lip and reinforces the latter to minimize the spreading of the lips bythe stresses resulting from bending the strip transversely of its length in a direction opposite the direction in which the lips extend.

4.; A weather sealing member comprising anV elongated strip of resilient material having at one edge a base section substantially rectangu lar in cross section and having a ribportion of less width thanthe base extending along one side of said base, and lips diverging in an outward direction from the rib portion and having the free ends respectively extending laterally outwardly beyond opposite sides of the base.

5. A weather sealing member comprising an elongated strip of resilient material having at one edge a base section substantially rectangular in cross section and having a rib portion of less width than the base extending along one side of said base, and lips diverging in an outward direction from the rib portion and having the free ends respectively extending laterally outwardly beyond opposite sides of the base, one of the lips having a width substantially less than the width of the other lip and forming with the latter a trough.

GERALD G. HUNTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,077,604 Wiley Apr. 20, 1937 2,161,648 Widman June 6, 1939 2,176,964 Harrah Oct. 24, 1939 2,263,806 Hammerl Nov. 25, 1941 2,443,959 Merrill June 22, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 581,038 Germany July 20, 1933 833,934 France Aug. 1, 1938 

